The 12th Annual Sustainable Winegrowing Field Day will be held Thursday, August 9, 2012, at Santa Rosa Junior College’s Shone Farm in Forestville. The event begins at 7:30 a.m. and is co-sponsored by the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission, Santa Rosa Junior College Agriculture and Natural Resources Department and the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance. There is no cost to attend and the event is open to the public, although pre-registration is required.
According to the Sonoma County Winegrape Commission’s website, the agenda includes:
- Carbon Sequestration by Vineyards by Dr. David Smart, UC Davis
- Scientifically Addressing Spray Coverage by Dr. Franz Niederholzer, UC Cooperative Extension
- PD-Resistant Grapevines and Winemaking Quality by Dr. Andy Walker, UC Davis
- SARE Grant, Water Management, Conservation and Irrigation Initiative by Dr. Mark Greenspan, Advanced Viticulture
- Integrated Pest Management Season Highlights by Laura Breyer
- Presentations by Allison Jordan and Lisa Francioni of California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance on CSWA’s carbon projects
- A performance metrics program
- Small Grower Certification Pilot Program
The Sonoma County Winegrape Commission represents 1,800 vineyard owners. The group advocates sustainable vineyard and winegrowing practices through monthly meetings and educational outreach programs, and their website features a plethora of resources to promote and assist with first-rate vineyard procedures. Highlights of their respective actions include informative environmental and organic news, a video featuring the life of a grape, a live online vineyard cam and much more. The SCWC also hosts a 3-day Sonoma County Grape Camp in which participants can pick grapes and blend their own wine, all while learning the intricacies of food and wine pairing and vineyard techniques. Visit their website here: http://www.sonomawinegrape.org/
Santa Rosa Junior College Agriculture and Natural Resources Department, another event sponsor, enrolls more than 2,000 students annually, making them the largest community college agriculture program in California. Shone Farm, their outdoor educational laboratory and the location for the 12th Annual Sustainable Winegrowing Field Day, is a 365 acre property featuring work spaces for students pursuing viticulture, wine studies, equine studies, animal science, sustainable agriculture and environmental education. Click here to visit SRJC’s Agriculture and Natural Resources website: http://www.santarosa.edu/instruction/instructional_departments/agriculture/
Finally, the California Sustainable Winegrowing Alliance offers workshops to help establish the highest standards of sustainable practices through education, as well as community outreach efforts directed at enhancing mutual respect between winegrowers and vintners. Their California Sustainable Winegrowing Certification program is intended to “enhance transparency, encourage statewide participation and advance the entire California wine industry toward best practices in environmental stewardship, conservation of natural resources and socially equitable business practices.” Visit the CSWA website here: http://www.sustainablewinegrowing.org/
This yearly event is sure to be a special occasion, and anyone from grape growers to wineries to hobbyists and enthusiasts will undoubtedly walk away with plenty of new and exciting information.
Don’t wait! Participants are asked to register by August 3 at www.sonomawinegrape.org/fieldday. Registration check-in begins at 7:30 a.m. on August 9, and the presentations will run from 7:55 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
For more information, call Karen at 707-522-5862 or by e-mail to ipm@sonomawinegrape.org.